Luther's statement was so powerful and current that I created this this graphic and posted it. The words of the Reformer must have plagued one blogger. He immediately mentioned it by saying I did not know what week it was in the Church Year. "A hit! A palpable hit!" - as Oxford would say.
One must only quote Luther according to the lectionary schedule. The Rich Man and Lazarus parable is not germane the rest of the year, after Trinity 1.
That style has become common - react with a personal attack rather than addressing the issue. WELS, Missouri, and the ELS use it as standard operating procedure.
As one wag said, "The Church that marries the Spirit of This Age will be a widow in the Age To Come." That has been fulfilled as the Synodical Conference has clamored to become mainline, following closely the trends that killed off ELCA.
Christian News announced breathlessly that ELCA's Trinity Seminary - where Lenski once taught - has become a Reconciling Works institution, which means "full gay, all the way." I wonder about reading comprehension in the general population. In the 1990s, about 25 years ago, that seminary was leaving printed material out for its students - on how to address the gay issue when interviewed for call certification. The right response when asked about gaiety was, "I understand your concern about this issue, and I join with you in seeing it resolved."
If the seminary faculty was openly coaching its graduates in 1990, then it joined the team decades ago. Joining Reconciling Works, bragging about it in 2016, was simply the final act in this debacle.
Note the Dates - I Am a Witness.
1981 - I was interviewed at the LCA's Philadelphia seminary. One professor was thanked in front of me for publishing an article in The Lutheran, rejecting homosexuality as contrary to Creation. A revolution ousted anyone that opposed the agenda.
1990 - Trinity Seminary, once ALC, now ELCA, was openly supporting gay pastors.
2009 - ELCA voted to ordain gay pastors, which it had been doing all along, and to approve gay marriage.
2016 - Trinity Seminary in Columbus openly joins the ranks with its Reconciling Works membership.
Along the way, WELS pastors associated with Mark Jeske helped two homosexuals steal historic St. John Lutheran Church (and its endowment) in Milwaukee - handing it over to ELCA. I heard about the first moves against the congregation when a "WELS pastor friend" of the pastor told him to start planning an exit strategy.
SP Mark Schroeder was worried about WELS fingers touching the non-WELS pipe organ, before the church was stolen. But there was no concern about ELCA having the property.
Thrivent Unites Them All in Money-Grubbing Apostasy
WELS and Missouri have longed for the size and doctrinal apostasy of ELCA. Thrivent unites them in joint work with ELCA on evangelism, worship, and leadership training. The agenda is always ELCA's .
